Field
This disclosure relates to embroidery machines, sewing machines and die cutting machines.
Description of Related Art
Die cutting is the process of placing a template over a material like paper or leather and pressing the template through the material until the shape is separated from the sheet of material. According to modern techniques, a laser, rolling blade or other cutting implement is controlled by a computer. A computer-controlled cutting head passes over a sheet of material making cuts to separate the shape from the material. In this way, shaped products are formed. Products of a predictable and desired size and shape are thereby produced.
Use of a mallet to beat a metal template into a sheet of material was replaced by belt-driven die-cutting machines during the late 1800's and those were replaced by swing arm clicker presses in the early 1900's. Like the name suggests, clicker presses had a moveable arm. Users swung aside the arm to rearrange materials and dies before proceeding to use the machine again. Today, the die cutting process is still used to manufacture everything from car parts and keys to jeans and shoes. Today, older types of machines have been replaced with smaller, computer-controlled die cutting machines. Even modern die cutting machines have certain disadvantages. For example, some modern die cutting machines still use a blade to cut the material. For home sewing machine and embroidery machine users, there is the added expense of a separate machine just to do cutting.
In contrast to a blade, embroidery machines use one or more needles to stitch thread or other material into a fabric or other material of choice. Some uses of embroidery machines include delivering stitching to the outer edge of die cut shapes. Thus, two machines are often necessary to produce certain finished products.